Do you ever drive by a lemonade stand and get a big grin on your face?
Do you notice the hard working young entrepreneurs and wonder, where will they be in 30 years? What future will they discover for themselves? What lessons will they learn? Will they be disappointed and decide entrepreneurship just isn’t for them? Or will they treasure each interaction and be motivated?Oh, and what difference can you make as the adult driving by? What will you say, do? One such interaction happened with a well known entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk34 years ago that he still talks about today. Here’s how he tells it:
“What I’m doing when I’m buying lemonade that’s 25¢ and giving the kid $20 is I’m passing on one of the great moments of my life. I had a lemonade stand in 1985 and a bike rider drove by and gave me his water bottle. He goes, “How much if you fill this up?” This was 1985 and I think we were 10¢ a cup and I said, “A dollar!” and he said “OK” and I fill it, I’m so pumped! I mean, he didn’t finish saying “OK” and I had it filled and then he gave me $10 and he said, “keep the change.” I’m sitting here 34 years later telling you that story. Think about the impact that made.
So... I’m hoping that when I give $20 to a kid that it’s something that motivates him.”
